Wisdom of the Ages

Gratitude: A Silent, Unspoken Prayer

The word gratitude is defined by Webster as the quality of feeling or being grateful. Gratitude is the giving of thanks, not one day a year, but every day, every minute, and with every breath. Its expression within our lives blossoms into the realization that we are whole and complete within ourselves.

When gratitude and thanksgiving become a way of life, all abundance - physical, spiritual and material - co-exist simultaneously; our personal power mingles with the power of the universe to heal the world as we heal ourselves.

As we express gratitude with every breath, we become a symphony of compassion, love, and understanding. Borders of separation within dissolve into an awareness of our Oneness with All. Even in life’s darkest moments, we can open ourselves with reverence and great-fullness, knowing that crises give birth to new opportunities. With the joy of acceptance and thanksgiving, life’s events flow like a steady stream of consciousness, transforming stumbling blocks into stepping stones. Gratitude is our offering to a higher power, having faith that there is something greater than ourselves that is guiding, holding, protecting us.

How does one practice gratitude? You can practice gratitude each day with each word, each thought, and each gesture. Ask yourself what it is you have to be grateful for now. Look for things that trigger gratitude in your life. Practice celebrating thanksgiving - not once a year, but every day. Make a gratitude list, and watch it grow. Focus on the abundance now existing in your life, rather than the lack. You can practice gratitude anytime or anywhere.

For me, gratitude is an attitude of mind and heart. It starts from within and flows through every part of my soul. It leaves no area of my being untouched. It encompasses all that I am and asks for the highest and best that I can envision. For me, gratitude is a state of being rather than doing. It is unending love for the Creator and all of life’s creations.